Structural, morphological and optical properties of Yb2Cu2O5 thin films

The Yb 2 Cu 2 O 5 thin films have been fabricated by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis followed by a high temperature annealing process. The as-deposited and annealed films are analyzed by well-known tools such as x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystal structure of the Yb 2 Cu 2 O thin films is orthorhombic and their crystal size is 35.9 nm. The SEM images show that the surface of the Yb 2 Cu 2 O thin films is porous as a consequence of the high temperature treatment. The optical properties of Yb 2 Cu 2 O 5 firstly deposited in a thin film form is also investigated by means of UV–Vis measurements. From Tauc plot, the indirect band gap value of 1.079 ± 0.003 eV is reported for Yb 2 Cu 2 O thin films.